While many are under the impression that the U.S. Textile Industry is “dead, the industry generated $54 billion in shipments in 2012.” Today the U.S. textile industry is “is one of the top US manufacturing sectors and employs approximately 229,000 workers. This includes “textile raw materials, yarns, fabrics, apparel and home furnishings, and other textile finished products.”
Between 2009 and 2015 U.S. exports of textiles increased 31% to $16.5 billion.
Workers in the textile industry are highly skilled and the industry has become more technologically advanced. Investing “$1.7 billion in total capital expenditures in 2015.” U.S. textile companies are becoming more innovative and are “focused on retooling their businesses, finding more effective work processes, investing in niche products and markets, and controlling costs.”
Sub-sectors of the Textile Industry include: Nonwovens, Specialty and Industrial Fabrics, Medical Textiles and Protective Apparel.